Cajun Christmas … On Wheels

I’ve been in Louisiana all week for Christmas this week, which means I haven’t visited the skating rink. However, I couldn’t stand to leave my skates in Maryland and not practice for five whole days, so I packed the big suitcase and made room not only for my skates but also all of our Christmas gifts to my family. I may, however, have skimped on practical things like warm clothing and appropriate shoes.

This week, I had my first chance to really test my hybrid wheels. It’s worth noting that my wheels are the cheapest ones I could find, as I fully intend to damage them in the course of making stupid newbie mistakes. That said, the Radar Zen wheels hold up pretty well to skating on concrete and asphalt.

My first day home, I just had to show Mom my skates (I’m such a dork). Being the supportive person she is, she wanted to see what I could do, so I showed her my handful of tricks, and she ooh’d and ah’d like I was a kindergartener bringing her my first macaroni necklace. I left the skates out in the open one night, and my sister’s daughter Hazel was pretty curious about them, so we took them for a spin around the kitchen. It’s been really nice to get to know the youngest member of our family a little better, and I have loved sharing my new hobby with everyone.

The skating highlight for me has been going fast on the street. I’m too nervous to skate fast at the rink because you never know when a kid is going to faceplant directly in front of you. So, going around the block in my sister’s neighborhood gave me the chance to go as fast I could up and down the street and also practice crossovers at a higher speed than usual. Eventually, I might like to have a second pair of skates so I can keep one for indoor only and really go to down beating up the outdoor ones. I’ve also decided that my next skating goal is to turn around by jumping (rather than one foot at a time like I do now), and I’m going to have to invest in knee pads and wrist guards soon.

I hate to end this abruptly, but it’s now time for me to pay attention to my family for the last day I have in town. We’re heading out to Lake Arthur and getting Cajun food for lunch. Can’t go wrong there. 🙂